Letter to the Indonesian Government

Mr Kerman Suparno

Minister of Manpower and Transmigration

Ministry of Manpower and Transmigration

Jl. Taman Makam Pahlawan

No.17.

Jakarta

Indonesia

Dear Mr Suparno

Trade Union Rights Violations in Indonesia

I write to express our deep concern over the dismissal and detention of workers, including Mr Robin Kimbi, Chairperson of KAHUTINDO PT Musim Mas Union at PT Musim Mas Oil Palm Plantation and Processing Plant in Pelalawan, Riau Province in Sumatra, Indonesia.

Our information is that on 22 September 2005, six union officers were detained and 701 workers dismissed following an incident in which a company truck was driven into a picket line injuring two workers and that, on 26 December 2005, heavily armed police and soldiers were deployed to forcibly evict workers and their families from the Plantation Housing Estate. We have also learnt that the children of the evicted workers were publicly humiliated and expelled from Estate Schools.

Arrests and dismissals of workers and their representatives for organising activities relating to the exercise of their legitimate rights is a clear violation of the ILO Declaration of Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work. Moreover, your country, which ratified Convention 98(15.07.1957) and Convention 87 (09.06.1998), is obliged to observe the workers' rights enshrined in them. We urge you to use your influence with the authorities to secure the immediate release of all detained trade unionists and reinstatement of all dismissed workers and ensure that all Indonesians are allowed to exercise their democratic rights without interference from the State.

Yours sincerely

Brendan Barber

General Secretary